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Spinal cord concussion in pediatric athletes
D Rathbone1, G Johnson, M Letts
1Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Canada.
Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics
|September 1, 1992
Summary
Narrowed spinal canals in children do not consistently predict spinal cord concussion after injury. The Torg ratio showed a poor correlation, suggesting it
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Neurology
- Spinal Cord Injury Research
Background:
- Children with congenital spinal stenosis or malformations may be at risk for spinal cord concussion.
- Hyperflexion or hyperextension can further narrow the spinal canal, potentially leading to injury.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between spinal canal narrowing and spinal cord concussion in pediatric patients.
- To evaluate the Torg ratio as a predictor of spinal cord injury in children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of medical records from two children's hospitals.
- Analysis of 12 pediatric cases with transient sensory or motor loss post-spinal injury.
- Measurement of spinal canal width and calculation of the Torg ratio (spinal canal width as a percentage of vertebral width).
Main Results:
- Spinal canal narrowing was an inconsistent predisposing factor for spinal cord concussion in the studied children.
- A poor correlation was observed between the Torg ratio and normal spinal canal widths.
- The Torg ratio did not reliably predict the risk of spinal cord concussion.
Conclusions:
- Narrowing of the spinal canal is not a consistent predictor of spinal cord concussion in children.
- The Torg ratio demonstrates limited utility in assessing the risk of spinal cord injury in pediatric patients with spinal trauma.